


Additional Background Required

by ShadeOps21



Category: Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six (Video Games)
Genre: Cliches and stereotypes, F/M, High School Reunions, just for fun
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-19
Updated: 2019-06-19
Packaged: 2020-05-14 17:54:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,138
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19278442
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShadeOps21/pseuds/ShadeOps21
Summary: Thermite’s high school class is holding a reunion. Ash gets wind of this, and decides to convince him to go AND to take her with. For her, it’ll finally be the chance to learn more about her Texan partner in crime...





	Additional Background Required

**Author's Note:**

  * For [CenterAxisRelock](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CenterAxisRelock/gifts).



“It’s your last chance to back out,” Jordan offered to Eliza as the pair stood outside of the entrance to a large auditorium, “I won’t blame you if you don’t want to go.”

Eliza chuckled and shook her head, “You said to me as we were getting ready, and as we got in the car, twice on the drive here, and literally a minute ago when we parked.” She stepped closer to him and rested a hand reassuringly on his upper arm, “And I want to go; I’ve always been curious about the formative years of your life.”

“There’s isn’t much to tell,” Jordan answered reflexively, to Eliza’s amusement.

She rolled her eyes, “If there wasn’t much to tell, then it shouldn't have been this painful to learn about it…” With a resolute smile, she gripped Jordan’s hand and started to lead him towards the entrance of the hall. “Come on, I’m sure they’re more than excited to see you.”

“Yeah… excited, we’ll go with that.” Jordan muttered out, resigned to his fate. The pair walked through the opened doors into hallway lit by multicoloured lights, posters and large photographs of Jordan’s high school graduate class hanging along the walls for guests to see. Eliza made sure to linger at any of the pictures that potentially had Jordan’s younger visage contained within.

“You never told me you used to play sports?” She questioned him accusingly, standing in front of a team photograph of the school’s football team. Jordan rubbed the back of his neck, a nervous tick that Eliza picked up on.

“I was on second string offensive tackle, only played maybe half of the matches that season,” Jordan explained, “not like I was the star quarterback or anything noteworthy.”

“You  _ could’ve _ , if you hadn’t spent a lot of your free time in the chem labs making stuff go ‘boom’,” a deep voice spoke from down the hallway. The pair turned to find a man with greying hair, much like the streaks that Gustave had in his, approaching them with a wide smile on his face. “Jordan  _ motherfucking _ Trace, as I live and breath.”

“Colby? Jesus, you let yourself go,” Jordan replied with a smirk, before meeting the newcomer halfway and embracing him in a welcoming hug. “I see the force has been kind to you. Is there a daily donut quota that you need to hit?”

“Oh, being a desk sergeant has as many downfalls as it does perks,” Colby answered, before turning to face Eliza and offering a hand. “Sorry, the name’s Colby; Colby Harris. I was this knucklehead’s wingman on the field; offensive guard. He and I have pushed a few heads into the grass together.”

“You don’t say… it’s a pleasure to meet you, Colby. Eliza Cohen; I’m one of Jordan’s  _ work colleagues. _ ” Eliza returned the handshake, careful not to specify her or Jordan’s actual job title.

Jordan chuckled, gently pulling her into his side with an affectionate smile, “Plus a couple other things,” he chuckled, amused by the faux look of annoyance that fell on her face.

“I guess that consultancy gig worked out nicely after you left the Feds, didn’t it,” Colby said with a knowing smirk, to which the pair politely laughed at together; the meaning wasn’t lost on them in the slightest.

“It’s slowing down, but honestly I’m not complaining in the least. Bit more time to myself; well, as much as this one will allow.” Eliza playfully shoved him in the side for that remark, much to the amusement of Colby.

“No kidding… oh, I should give you a heads up, now that I think about it… Olivia’s here too.”

Jordan let out a displeasured groan and let his head rock back, looking at the ceiling. “And here I was thinking tonight was starting to go well…” Eliza could only look on in confusion as Jordan and Colby shared a knowing look, before the three made their way down the hallway together. “I never actually saw the official count; how many are we expecting tonight?”

“Maybe about two-thirds of the class, I’d say? Lisa was the one who organised this shebang.”

Jordan scoffed, “Of course she would.” They stopped before the set of double doors that led into the main hall, and the expression that he wore on his face as he turned to look at Eliza could be summarized as  _ pleading _ , “Are you absolutely sure you want to do this?”

Eliza looked up to him and flashed a reassuring smile, “I am, the real question is: are you?”

“I’ve faced terrorists wearing suicide vests and lived to tell the tale… how bad could a high school reunion be?”

* * *

“Y’know what… those White Masks might have some merit to their plans,” Jordan muttered quietly to Eliza as another classmate of Jordan’s disappeared to retrieve a fresh drink from the bar that was set up to the side. Eliza could only smile in response, as the last half hour had been equal parts entertaining and enlightening.

Jordan, despite not being the star quarterback of the football team, still was considered part of the school’s ‘popular clique’ by mere virtue of his place on said team and how likeable he was. If anything, the fact that he wasn’t as arrogant or self-important as other players (like the quarterback, a man by the name of Hugh that Jordan had pointed out had peaked shortly  _ after _ school and was working as a car salesman) leant more to his popularity compared to others. He was popular because he was genuinely likable, which Eliza would gladly admit was evident by his personality; the shaky start to their friendship back on FBI SWAT notwithstanding.

Colby reappeared out of nowhere, with two unopened beers in his hands. “I see you’re still alive.”

Jordan accepted one of the drinks with a grateful smile, “I survived two tours in Iraq.” “And?” Colby said with a quirked eyebrow. Jordan shrugged and sipped his beer.

“I’d go back for a third if it meant dodging this.” Both Colby and Eliza shared a laugh at his honest statement, the woman feeling a little guilty now that she thought about it. Jordan  _ had _ been hesitant to come along tonight, even if it was for  _ his _ graduate class. It was  _ her _ idea to come along and experience what a reunion in the US was like, and to meet the people that knew her partner in his earlier years. “Oh fuck… speaking of IEDs…” Jordan muttered to himself before taking another large mouthful of his beer before discretely pulling Eliza closer into his side.

There wasn’t much time to figure out what the problem was before it stopped just before them. Standing at the same height as her, with a more buxom figure and straight blonde hair, stood a woman that was the same age as Jordan; though the years hadn’t been as kind to her as they were him. “Well, aren’t you a sight for sore eyes…”

Jordan forced a pleasant smile as he tipped the neck of his beer towards the newcomer in a welcoming gesture, “Olivia, good to see you, you’re looking wonderful as ever.” Eliza could tell that the compliment was far from sincere just by the tone in Jordan’s voice.

Olivia rolled her eyes with a scoff and fixed him with a half smile, crossing her arms over her chest, “Seventeen years and all I get is a ‘good to see you’?”

“Thirteen, and it’s better than what I had run through my mind when I saw you walk over,” Jordan replied with, dropping all pretenses of civility with her, “or are you forgetting the time you tried to drunkenly hook up with me when I got back home?”

Eliza had to force back a small laugh at the sheer brutality of Jordan’s remark, and even Colby had to cover his own chuckle with a forced cough. Olivia, on the other hand, simply glared at him with a slowly reddening face. “I thought we decided to forget that…”

“Like you  _ forgot _ that it was you that ended it with me?” Jordan matched her glare with one of his, an eyebrow raised pointedly.

“H-hey, Olivia, I don’t see Joey anywhere… he home with the kids?” Colby spoke up, trying in vain to diffuse the tense situation from blowing up any further.

“Yeah, not that’s any of your business, Harris,” Olivia answered snidely, casting her glare towards Eliza now. “And just who are you supposed to be? Trace’s arm candy for the evening? I guess he hasn’t tried to choke you out in some kind of flashback-induced rage yet, huh?”

Both Colby and Jordan opened their mouths to respond, but Eliza was faster on the draw, “Hmm, I don’t know if that’s a bad thing, I mean, I  _ do _ climax harder with his hands around my throat.” She flashed a winning smile at Olivia, who stood there gobsmacked by her comment. She felt Jordan stand a little straighter as well, and poor Colby looked like he was a deer in headlights. “And I don’t know about you, but I much prefer a  _ Marine’s _ body over a footballer’s anyday. Better muscle definition, better physique, and his stamina… my  _ god _ …”

“U-um… right…” Oliva stammered out, flushed and completely sideswiped by Eliza’s response completely that any visible anger had been replaced entirely by shock. “I-I… goodbye.” Unable to fire back a retort, Olivia turned around and returned back to her own group of friends, across the hall. Once she was out of earshot, Eliza spoke up.

“... That wasn’t too harsh of m-” She found herself rudely cut off as Jordan swept down for a passionate kiss. She lost herself briefly before coming back to her senses, tapping out on his shoulder and making him break contact. “Okay… were you just sticking the knife in or…”

“Firstly:  _ wow, _ that was amazing. Secondly: yes, yes I was.” Jordan confessed, a grin filling his face.

Colby’s face was wearing a similar grin, “I’ve never seen  _ anyone _ shut Olivia up with such brutal efficiency like that before. Your improv skills were amazing, might I add,” he paused, taking a moment to take a sip from his drink. Ash smirked, and spoke up just as he was mid gulp.

“That wasn’t improv, I was telling the truth.” Both she and Jordan laughed as Colby coughed up his mouthful of beer, liquid shooting from around the bottle and from his nose.

“Jesus…” Colby said after managing to regain his breath, “Don’t let this one go, Jordy, she’s a damn keeper.” He glanced down at his shirt, and sighed. “I’ll be back, gotta go clean myself up…”

“We’ll be right here.” Jordan said as Colby stepped away towards the bathrooms. The pair quickly looked around and stole a pair of seats that were nearby.

“I’m going to go out on a limb and say that she was the ex-high school sweetheart?” Eliza asked after a few moments of comfortable silence. Jordan chuckled and nodded his head.

“Yeah, you’d be right. Started around the beginning of our Junior year, and progressed all the way through to just after graduation. It was good, by high school romantic standards at least,” Jordan said, a touch of nostalgia in his voice, “Back then, ‘Liv wasn’t a complete bitch like the woman you had the unfortunate pleasure of meeting just now; no, she was far more pleasant and outgoing.”

“Cheerleading captain?” Eliza asked quickly, catching a laugh from him.

“Vice captain… the captain, Chantelle, was dating Michael, the team’s running back. Pretty sure they’re still together actually.”

Eliza could only shake her head in disbelief, “Don’t take this the wrong way, but your school years sound like something that John Hughes would’ve written for a movie or something.”

“Looking back, I’d agree with you there,” Jordan chuckled at Eliza’s comment, “anyway, it wasn’t until near the end of our Senior year that I had started considering enlisting in the Marines. Olivia had other plans for us, and hadn’t exactly  _ agreed _ with my own life plan. Truth be told, that should’ve been the first red flag.”

“There were more than one?” Eliza jumped in, smiling sheepishly when Jordan fixed her with an exasperated expression. “Sorry…”

“I was young, dumb, and supposedly in love. I tried to talk her into seeing it from my side, and pointed out all the benefits that could come with it if she stayed with me while I served, but she was having none of it. It was after we graduated when it all came to a head; she made me pick between her and my country,” Jordan sighed and shook his head, “I guess in her eyes, I picked wrong. She dumped me then and there, and I didn’t really hear from her again until after I got back home from my second tour and had separated from active duty. Looks like she still resents me for it after all this time.”

The pair sat in silence, pondering over Jordan’s words and how things could’ve been different if he’d answered Olivia’s ultimatum differently. “Well,” Eliza spoke after a little while, “her loss.”

Jordan frowned in mild confusion, “Pardon?”

“If she wasn’t prepared to make sacrifices in order to be with you while you were serving your country, then she wasn’t really the girl for you,” she explained, cuddling up into her partner’s side affectionately. “Who’s to say she wouldn’t have met and started seeing someone else while you were away on deployment? What then?”

Jordan just chuckled quietly, wrapping an arm around Eliza’s shoulders and hugging her closely, “You know just how to brighten a man’s evening, you know that?”

* * *

The night progressed even further, with more of Jordan’s classmates making their rounds to say hello and catch up on years past, with more stories exchanged and more of Jordan’s past realised: Stories of his chemistry class almost blowing up the classroom and sending the school into lockdown; tales of senior pranks and other mischievous acts that he’d been party to; speculation of the lives of other classmates that weren’t in attendance that evening.

Occasionally, Eliza would look around and catch an evil glare from where Olivia stood, the woman apparently still angry with just how she’d been shut down earlier that night. Though on one particular surveying look, she caught the eye of another woman that was watching Jordan with an expression that could be considered a mix of wistfulness and longing. Excusing herself from her partner’s side, she stepped away and tried to make her approach to this woman as casual as possible. It helped that the woman was standing by the bar, so the cover story of getting herself and Jordan another drink wouldn’t be too outrageous to believe. 

Eliza didn’t even have a chance to try and prompt a conversation after ordering her drink before the other woman spoke up, “It’s my own fault, really.”

Her tone caught Eliza off guard, and she frowned in mild confusion, “For what, exactly?”

“For not taking the leap,” she sighed, “Sorry… you’re the last person I should be saying this too…”

Eliza stopped the woman from stepping away, cutting off her escape by sticking an arm out in front of her, “Hey, I can see that this is eating you up inside… you would feel much better if you just let it out.”

The woman was hesitant, but sighed and nodded before turning to face Eliza fully, “I guess you’re right… I’m Jasmine, by the way…”

“Eliza, and it’s a pleasure to meet you,” Eliza smiled, “I’ve heard your name a few times in some of the stories, you were Jordan’s lab partner, right?”

“That’s me; pair of us were some of the top students in our class. We became fast friends over assignment work and things like that, though I had to go and develop a crush just before he started seeing Olivia,” Jasmine chuckled dryly, “Yes, yes, how very ‘90’s teen movie’ of me; quiet nerdy girl crushing on the popular football player…”

Eliza shrugged, “Trust me, I’ve been calling Jordan’s entire school life a cliche at this point.”

“Then you know how the story goes: guy focuses on girl; other girl waits in the background pining from afar until it’s too late; other girl ends up moving on and making a life for her own whilst still wondering ‘what if?’.” Jasmine chuckled dryly, taking a small mouthful of her drink. “At least it’s good to see that he’s doing well for himself. He hasn’t blown himself up either, which is a good sign.”

“I do try to keep him alive to the best of my abilities…” Ash remarked, stealing a glance at her man.

* * *

The remainder of the night flew fast, with most of the ‘responsible’ adults opting to leave around the ten-o’clock mark. Unfortunately, both Jordan and Eliza fell into that category as they had an early check out and departure slated for the following morning. Eliza waited patiently for Jordan to work around the crowd with his final farewells and well wishes, before an idea popped into her head that she was certain he’d find equal parts amusing and exhilarating.

With a confident smile, she walked up beside him and looped her arm around his, resting against his side. “Hey, I wanna quickly talk to you about something…”

Jordan, a little surprised by her sudden appearance, excused himself and allowed Eliza to drag him away from the handful of guests left over to the semi-permanent bleachers that lined each side of the hall. Flashing him a coy grin, she darted around a corner and pulled him with, swinging him around and pressing him against a support beam with his wrists in her hands. “Not that I mind, but y’mind filling me in? I feel like I’m missing something.”

Ash chuckled to herself quietly, and looked up at him through lidded eyes, “Well, seeing as your entire teenage and early adult life was dedicated to fulfilling every stereotype known to man for that age period, what’s the harm in indulging in another one?”

Jordan raised an eyebrow at her proposition, “And which one would this be, exactly?”

“Making out with your girlfriend under the bleachers,” Eliza answered, closing the distance between them and wrapping her arms around his neck as she captured his lips in a firm and passionate kiss. Jordan’s own arms moved to encircle her waist and lower back, and the pair kissed until the need for air became a priority. They broke away with smiles as bright as the sun, “Huh… so that’s why it’s so appealing in the movies.”

Jordan closed his eyes and chuckled, “Never change ‘Liz, never change… come on, let’s get going… maybe we can tick a few more boxes tonight.”

“Play your cards right, and we might finish the list…”


End file.
